Folding brace



April 28, 1925. 1 1,535,713

I N. BELDEN FOLDING BRACE Filed July 1923 INVENTOR ,lYflO/NE BElDf/Ynwgwer ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 28, 1925.

UNITED SITES NADINE BELDEN, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

. FOLDING BRACE.

Application filed July 25,

To all. whom it may concern:

Be it known that NADINE BELDEN, a citizen of the United States, residingat Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, hasinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Braces, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention is an improved brace for the legs of folding tables,chairs, etc.

The object of my invention is to provide a brace which. is slidablysecured tothe table leg at one end thereof, and which automaticallyfalls into the bracing position when the leg is unfolded.

Another object is to provide a brace which is simple in construction andinexpensive to manufacture.

In the annexed drawing in which my in vention is illustrated:

to Figure 1 is a perspective view of a folding table with my bracesthereon.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side view of one of the legs and braces,partly broken away to show the sliding connection.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one leg.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the brace.

Referring more particularly to the drawing': The table upon which myin'iproved brace is mounted comprises a central main leaf 1 to which thelegs 2 are hinged. Side leaves 3 and 4 are hinged to the leaf 1 and arefoldable upon it.

The braces 5 are hinged at one end to the leaf 1, and are slidablysecured to the legs 2, at the other end. Agroove 6 is formed in the legs2 and a plate 7 is secured over said groove. A slot 8 is formed in theplate 7, which extends upwardly to a pair of inwardly extending rests 9which are formed on the plate 7 on either side of said slot.

These shoulders are formed by denting the 1923. Serial N0. 653,738.

plate 7 inwardly, and the shoulders are inclined downwardly to form aseat upon which the shoulders 10 of the brace 5 rest.

A neck 11 is formed below the shoulders 10 which is adapted to fitwithin the slot 8, and a shoe 12 slides in the groove 6, back of theplate 7, thereby securing the brace 5 to the leg 2. This shoe alsoreinforces the brace 5 and prevents transverse motion of said brace andleg.

In opening the table the legs are allowed to swing downwardly, whichcauses-the shoe 12 to travel upwardly in the groove 6 until the inwardlyextending rests 9 are reached. At this point the shoulders 10 arepressed inwardly and engage the rests and the legs 2 are securelybraced. To release the brace it is raised slightly by the ears 13 and14:, which disengages the shoulders 10 from the rests 9, and the shoe 12and neck 11 are guided downwardly in the groove 6 and slot 8.

Having described my invention I claim:

In combination with a pair of hinged members, one of said members havinga groove formed therein, a plate over said groove, said plate having aslot formed therein, of a brace hinged to the second of said hingedmembers, a shoe formed on said brace. said shoe being slidable withinsaid groove behind the plate. a rest on said plate, said rest beingformed by bending the plate inwardly in the groove at the edges of theslot and adjacent the top of the plate, a shoulder on said brace adaptedto engage said rest in the unfolded position of said hinged members,said shoe being retained behind the plate in the folded position of thehinged members.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

NADINE BELDEN.

